retired_confal2

Diary entry (source: David Le Spliff's personal diary) -entry dated 16th December 2003.


Another long day, both on the training grounds and in the office. Then again I suppose we're lucky to have found a suitable replacement for Charly Loubet so quickly. That was mostly down to Christian Lopez, who suggested his name as soon as I told him Charly had decided to leave for Wasquehal.

Christian and Gabriel are of the same generation, and crossed paths a few times, both as players and when Desmenez was a coach at Nice. As it happened, Gabriel was taking a break from football, and it took Christian several lengthy conversations over the phone to convince him to join us.

Mr Desmenez, according to Christian, is a firm believer in the virtues of short, sharp attacking football, and gets on very well with younger players. And though his tactical acumen is perhaps not the most sophisticated around, his motivational and man-management skills more than make up for it. All of which makes him a perfect candidate, along with his considerable experience.

I first met him this morning, when he turned up to meet the board and sign a two-and-a-half-year contract. He stopped by my office to introduce himself, and my first impression was that of a quiet, self-possessed man with impeccable manners, who seemed slightly awkward about his imposing appearance -tall and wide, with hands like the paws of a bear.

He joined us out on the training grounds for the afternoon session, and it was clear from the start that I was going to benefit greatly from the presence of my new assistance. A few of the players were unhappy about Charly's departure -he'd been like a second father to several of them- but everyone was clearly in awe of Gabriel, even though he said nothing, watching from the sideline with his tree-trunk arms folded across his chest.

After the session I asked him into my office, to get his first impressions concerning the squad.

- "I like what I see. Quite a squad you're building here, but unless the club gets promoted I doubt you'll be able to keep the best of them."

- "That's what we're here for, to get the club promoted. Christian says we have similar philosophies when it comes to the way football should be played."

- "Yes, he said that to me too. In fact it was that, and the results you've been getting, which swayed me in the end. And I haven't had any cause to regret it today -the excitement here is almost palpable..."


He looked out toward the pitches, as though he were visualizing already the manner of his involvement, and I knew it was going to be fine. He barely seemed aware of the fact that he could have been my father, and that my experience of management amounted to a couple of years of part-time coaching, what's more with an amateur side playing in the Aquitaine regional league...Either that, or he hid it very well indeed...

In any case, his first proper day on the job will be our league fixture tomorrow, away to Sannois Saint-Gratien. And it's probably just as well that he'll have, right away, an opportunity to see the team in action in a competitive game. And on a personal note, I'm very relieved that I'll be working with someone who appears to be a very decent human being. Then again, I should really have had more faith in Christian's judgement, because so far it hasn't failed me or the club on a single occasion...

retired_rainmaker

Don't you ever lose?

Quite an amazing run you have there. Let's see if the squad can stay intact and handle itself when the inevitable promotion arrives :thup:

retired_confal2

I'm not sure I've ever had as good a record halfway through the first season before, Jesper. Having said that, I'm amazed at the quality of some of the players I've acquired, and I really think this Cannes team would have a decent chance of avoiding relegation in Ligue 1...

In the actual playing of the game, I'm about 50 game days further than in the story and...well, I won't spoil it for those who actually intend to read on...

For the record, so far I've played a 4-1-3-2 formation, one of the first I developed in CM4, though until then I favoured using three centre-backs and attacking wing-backs, which for some reason seems a big no-no in CM4....Or maybe I'm just not playing it right...



Game reports and team news (source: 'Bocca Vera!' fanzine, December issues).


16th December 2003.

Gabriel Desmenez (49, FRA) is appointed as Cannes' new assistant manager. Desmenez was not under contract and no compensation was necessary.


17th December 2003, Stade Michel Hidalgo (att. 2526)

Sannois SG 2
AS Cannes 2

Goals: Inkango (0-1, 10; 1-2, 59), Doumbouya (1-1, 49), Planus (2-2, 72).
Notes: Emanuelson missed penalty (51).
Shots: Sannois SG 5(3), AS Cannes 13(6).

Cannes manager David Le Spliff will doubtless be thinking that his team ought to have put the game beyond their opponents' reach. He will also be rueing young Urby Emanuelson's penalty miss, though he was at pains, in his post-match comments, to exonerate the Dutch playmaker from any blame.

"It's my own fault, for not designating a more seasoned player to take it. I'd also like to remind everyone that he didn't miss -the goalkeeper pulled a great save, full credit to him. Sannois Saint-Gratien worked hard to earn a point today, and in my book they deserved it."

And perhaps they did. But let's not forget this was essentially the same team that Cannes beat 8-0 at La Bocca earlier this season. Signs that the Cannes locomotive is running out of steam? Only the future can tell.


18th December 2003.

The draw for the Ninth Round of the French Cup took place in Fontainebleau. Cannes are drawn at home to amateur team Endoûme (CFA), a very favourable draw. Three ties involving L1 clubs stand out as the headliners: Lens v. Lyon, Nantes v. Strasbourg and PSG v. Sochaux.


20th December 2003, La Bocca (att. 2616).

AS Cannes 4
FC Sète 0

Goals: Mohammed (1-0, 24; 2-0, 29), Diawara (3-0, 82; 4-0, 88).
Notes: Vargas sent off (kicking an opponent, 64).
Shots: AS Cannes 17(11), FC Sète 2(0).

A game as thoroughly dominated as any manager would wish. Sète, who lay twelfth in the league before the game, never looked like they hoped for anything better than a 0-0 draw. That, however, was not to be -although neither of the Cannes front two got a goal. Once again Suleiman Mohammed proved how important his goals are to the club, and he was imperious in midfield, breaking up Sète moves and launching his own team's attacks, spraying the ball around intelligently and getting himself into good shooting positions. He and man-of-the-match Diawara, who got the other two goals with a couple of unstoppable headers, were outstanding throughout the game.

This victory, in the last game Cannes were to play in 2003, rounds off an impressive first half of the season, leaving 'les Rouges-et-Blancs' undefeated and fourteen points clear at the top of the National.


27th December 2003.

Jorge Vargas is banned for two further games following a review of his dismissal in the game against Sète.


28th December 2003.

Gnahoua Zéphirin Zoko picked up a groin injury in training, and will be out for about a week.

retired_confal2

International Player Awards 2004 (Source: FIFA and UEFA).



FIFA World Footballer of the Year.

1. Robert Carlos (BRA) -Real Madrid.
2. Gianluca Zambrotta (ITA) -Juventus.
3. Tobias Rau (GER) -Bayern München.


FIFA World Player of the Year.

1. Edgar Davids (HOL) -Juventus.
2. Ruud Van Nistelrooy (HOL) -Man Utd.
3. Fabio Cannavaro (ITA) -Inter.


UEFA European Footballer of the Year.

1. Carlos Marchena (SPA) -Valencia CF.
2. Iván Córdoba (COL) -Inter.
3. Michael Ballack (GER) -Bayern München.


UEFA European Goalkeeper of the Year.

1. Santiago Cañizares (SPA) -Valencia CF.
2. Reçber Rüstü (TUR) -Barcelona.
3. Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) -Juventus.


UEFA European Defender of the Year.

1. Roberto Ayala (ARG) -Valencia CF.
2. Robert Kovac (CRO) -Bayern München.
3. Rio Ferdinand (ENG) -Man Utd.


UEFA European Midfielder of the Year.

1. Marc Overmars (HOL) -Barcelona.
2. Kléberson (BRA) -Man Utd.
3. Robert Pires (FRA) -Arsenal.


UEFA European Striker of the Year.

1. David Trezeguet (FRA) -Juventus.
2. Mohamed Kallon (SIE) -Inter.
3. Roy Makaay (HOL) -Bayern München.

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Diary entry (Source: David Le Spliff's personal diary) -entry dated 28th December 2003.


Just back from a very short break, a couple of days spent with some old friends in the Cévennes. There wasn't enough time to do justice to any of my scattered family, and I declined Uncle Bébert's invitation to spend Christmas dinner with some rich and influent friends of his -told him I needed a change of air, which I did, and what is more, I'd been neglecting even my best and oldest friends since I'd settled in Cannes.

Being away from the club, even just for a couple of days, has done me a world of good. We'd rented a small gîte near the eastern edge of the Larzac Plateau, and passed the time walking and taling, eating and drinking, playing music and smoking. Before I knew it, I was on a train heading back for Cannes, wishing I'd had a whole week -make that a whole month...

But looking back on everything that's happened since July, it's difficult not to feel satisfaction at what has been accomplished so far. The complete regeneration of the first team squad, the unbeaten runs in both the National and the French Cup, the gradual but unmistakeable acceptance amongst the staff and the players. I never dreamed the situation would evolve so rapidly, and so positively, when I was handed the job by Uncle Bébert...

I am now convinced that we will achieve promotion this season, as I think there are currently few teams in the National capable of ending our impressive run, and I don't see us dropping too many points at La Bocca. I also think we can cause an upset or two if we get to play bigger teams in the Cup. And it is the performances -more than the results- which fill me with confidence, as we consistently outplay opponents and create a greater number of chances.

And if I do have one thing to worry about, it is how I am going to keep our best players at the club. There have been very few concrete offers so far, but come the summer I have a feeling that several of them will have turned a few heads, and generated a fair amount of interest from more prestigious clubs.

Actually, there is one another major worry: the Toledo 'case'. There hasn't been any motre information forthcoming from the Bertuzzi brothers, though I see them and a few colleagues of theirs at every home game. Always the same two words, delivered with a self-deprecating shrug whenever I ask; "Nothing new."

But there has to be something. A clue they overlooked, a witness they omitted to question -anything that might point to what had actually happened to the lad, that night at the Hotel Bristol. I've been warned about making enquiries myself, but perhaps I could get someone to help me out. My friend at the Petit Rapporteur? Too risky; I couldn't trust him not to speak of it to others, or even use it in his paper. Christian is too involved with the club, and the last thing I want is for him and his family to get into any trouble. That leaves only Uncle Bébert...

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Game reports and team news (source: Football 365.fr -National updates section, January overview).


3rd January 3004.

AS Cannes (Nat.) vs. Endoume (CFA), at La Bocca (att. 2754). French Cup Ninth Round.

10. Mutiu plays El Kadouri through down the left side of the box. The Moroccan angles his run inside and blasts one from ten yards out, crucifying the keeper. 1-0.

13. Torres Mestre cuts the ball back form the byline, on the left side of the area. Mohammed hits it on the volley from the penalty spot and scores. 2-0.

30. Banack runs free down the left touchline and sends in a hopeful cross. Falzon has evaded his marker's attentions, and hits it first-time from a dozen yards out. Filimonov doesn't even move. 2-1.

41. Torres Mestre's header back is too powerful, forcing Filimonov to make a good save, but the ball spills loose and Banack is left with the simplest of tap-ins. 2-2.

103. Toledo runs from the right touchline to the penalty spot, beating three players before coolly slotting it home with his left. 3-2.

AS Cannes 3, Endoume 2 (a.e.t.). A game which almost ended in embarrassment for Cannes, who once again couldn't put the game away when they had the chances to do so (thirty-five shots on goal, including eighteen on target, whereas Endoume had three). Charvet and Dika were so poor at the heart of the defence that Mohellebi and Tournut were brought on at half-time. Filimonov's performance was abysmal -he had little to do, but still managed to foul up on each and every occasion. Thankfully, man-of-the-match Mohammed kept an iron grip on midfield throughout, and Toledo and Moustaïd did just about enough to bring about the goals that sent Cannes through to the last 32 (Tenth Round).


4th January 2004.

The draw for the Tenth Round of the French Cup sees Cannes pitted against Epinal (CFA), away at the Stade de la Colombière. The game will be played on 24th January 2004.

None of the ties drawn involve two clubs from Ligue 1.


9th January 2004.

Cannes sign young Georgian defender Lasha Chelidze (D R/C, 18, GEO) from Torpedo Kutaisi (GEO) for 50.OOO £. A clear indication that manager Le Spliff is dissatisfied with his centre-halves, and feels new blood is needed.

Cannes sign Délis Ahou (D/DM L/C, 19, FRA) for 50.OOO £ from Nantes, where he played with the Reserves. Will provide cover for both Torres Mestre and El Kadouri, and should get quite a few games.


10th January 2004.

Louhans-Cuiseaux vs. AS Cannes, at the Stade de Bram (att. 2541). National.

38. Moustaïd send in a free-kick from the left side, 40 yards out. Diawara outjumps the keeper on the edge of the six-yard-box. 0-1.

70. El Kadouri wins the ball along the left touchline. He runs down the flank and sends in a lovely chip for Mutiu, unmarked in the penalty area. The Nigerian sends a powerful strike into the roof of the net. 0-2.

90 (+2). Garin plays Rizaldos through with a great one-touch pass. The striker steadies himself and beats Filimonov from close range. 1-2.

Louhans-Cuiseaux 1, AS Cannes 2. A deserved win in the top-of-the-table clash for the Mediterraneans, which now puts them 17 points clear in the National. Good début for Chelidze, with Mutiu designated as man-of-the-match. Louhans-Cuiseaux never looked like taking hold of the play, and only managed three strikes on target in the whole game.


11th January 2004.

Istres (5th in Ligue 2) make an offer for Bruce Inkango, which Cannes reject, stating they have no intention of selling their young forward.


16th January 2004.

Christophe Lemaire (S C, 16, FRA) agrees terms with AS Cannes. Beauvais will be compensated with 110.000 £.

Romain Testas signs for Mulhouse (CFA) on a free transfer. Cannes will receive 50% of the fee should he be sold on to another club.


17th January 2004.

AS Cannes vs. Cherbourg, at La Bocca (att. 2672). National.

2. Corner from the left struck by Moustaïd. The keeper punches it out straight to Magallanes, ten yards out, who hits it first-time and finds the net. 1-0.

45. Corner from the right side. Moustaïd's floated ball is headed in by Diawara, who outjumps everyone at the far post. 2-0.

58. Diawara nods the ball down from the edge of the area for Toledo, who chips the keeper first-time from fifteen yards. 3-0.

63. Magallanes is sent off for a professional foul.

69. Toledo wins the ball back on the halfway line, beats the last defender and easily rounds the keeper before hitting the net. 4-0.

AS Cannes 4, Cherbourg 0. Even when reduced to ten men, Cannes had their opponents by the throat and applied pressure relentlessly down both flanks. Toledo was voted man-of-the-match yet again, with Moustaïd also excellent and Filimonov finding form at last to keep a clean sheet.


21st January 2004.

Souleymane Bamba (D C, 19, FRA), a former youth player at Paris SG and Juventus but currently unemployed, joins Cannes on a free transfer.


23rd January 2004.

Harlington Shereni (D/DM L/C, 28, ZIM) signs for Cannes for an initial 150.000 £ from Istres (Ligue 2). Chairman Michel Salerno pointed out that a further 150.000 £ would be paid out over the next twelve months. Shereni is likely to constitute a new pairing in central defence alongside Vargas or Chelidze.


24th January 2004.

Epinal (CFA) vs. AS Cannes (Nat.), at the Stade de la Colombière (att. 1533). French Cup Tenth Round.

14. Poor clearance straight to Vargas, who finds Moustaïd unmarked in the box on the right. Powerful shot from a tight angle, through the keeper's legs. 0-1.

22. Lawal plays a through-ball for Toledo, who made a run down the left side of the box. The Brazilian cuts inside and beats the keeper from eight yards. 0-2.

71. Lemaire crosses from the byline on the right. Emanuelson strikes the ball first-time from ten yards out, leaving the keeper no chance. 0-3.

Epinal 0, AS Cannes 3. Comfortable win against a mediocre team. Encouraging début for Lemaire, only sixteen, who played the second half and set up a goal. Moustaïd was the best player on the field, with Vargas and Emanuelson putting in impressive performances. The day was a disastrous one for Ligue 1 teams -only Paris SG, Auxerre, Lyon, Metz and Marseille went through to the last sixteen. An unheard-of eight amateur clubs will compete in the Eleventh Round -half the teams still involved.


25th January 2004.

In the draw for the Eleventh Round of the French Cup, Cannes are drawn to play Joué-lès-Tours (Ama.) away. The game will be played at the Stade Jean Bouin on 14th February 2004.


28th January 2004.

Tours vs. AS Cannes, at the Stade de la Vallée du Cher (att. 2518). National.

16. Nieto crosses from the right byline. Zitelli turns Charvet on his first touch and beats Filimonov from six yards out. 1-0.

48. Good header from Charvet after Gafour's croner from the right. The keeper parries it, but Toledo is in the right place at the right time. 1-1.

77. Citron sends in a fierce shot from 25 yards, which Filimonov palms away, but Citron has continued his run and sidefoots the rebound past the disbelieveing keeper. 2-1.

Tours 2, AS Cannes 1. Finally Cannes are made to pay for their casual finishing, in a game in which they created five times as many chances as their opponents; twenty shots on goal compared to Tours' four. But with Tours goalkeeper Raimbault, a deserving man-of-the-match, playing out of his skin, and his counterpart Filimonov having another very poor game, in the end Tours held on to their advantage and inflicted their first defeat of the season upon the Mediterraneans. Cannes still lead the National by 17 pts, but with their run of invincibility well and truly over, perhaps a few doubts will begin to creep in.


31st January 2004.

AS Cannes vs. Brest, at La Bocca (att. 2683). National.

51. Fantastic 40-yard run by Inkango, who beats two players before unleashing a perfect finish into the top right-hand corner. 1-0.

AS Cannes 1, Brest 0. An important game for Cannes against a team lying sixth and in resplendent form of late. Though less adventurous than usual, Cannes were more assured at the back, and with only one strike on target Brest did not pose much of a threat to Filimonov. Moustaïd's forays down the right flank earned him man-of-the-match, whilst Torres Mestre, Emanuelson and goalscorer Inkango all put in good performances. The Mediterraneans will be relieved that they have immediately returned to winning ways, just after a potentially demoralizing defeat away to Tours three days earlier.

retired_confal2

Transcript of an intercepted cellular phone communication (source: unknown). Recorded at 23:14 on 20th January 2004.

Notes: Identifying source codes occulted by scrambling device (type unknown). Forensics testing was negative.


*click*

- "Good evening, sir. I was expecting your call."

- "You knew it was me."

- "I did. A wise precaution you took, but I'm good at my job."

- "For your own sake, I would advise you not to be too good at it."

- "You've never had to worry about that before, have you?"

- "No. I have not. Were you at the game on Saturday?"

- "Haven't missed one in two years, sir. I was there."

- "You are certain he still suspects nothing?"

- "Positive. And in any case, there's nothing he can do about it."

- "Perhaps. The main thing is, events are unfolding the way they are supposed to. I expect you to see to it that this does not change."

- "Of course."

- "One last thing."

- "Sir?"

- "The girl."

- "Ah yes, the g..."

- "You have found her, yes?"

- "I'm afraid not, sir. Those damn Albanians d..."

- "Silence! I should not need to remind you. No specifics."

- "I'm sorry, sir, it won't happen again."

- "Find her. You know what to do, yes?"

- "Looking forward to it already, sir."

- "Have I ever told you what an abject, repulsive wretch you are?"

- "Many times, sir, and I thank you."

- "Just find her. We know where to find you."

*click*

Shermanez

This is great. There's plenty of detail but it's easy to read. Brilliant!

retired_confal2

Cheers Gino, glad you like it. I think if I didn't vary the types of posts the story is made of, I'd probably get bored very quickly (and so would the people reading this, no doubt...).


Diary entry (source : David Le Spliff’s personal diary) –dated 29th January 2004.


I keep telling myself that it had to happen eventually, but that isn’t working too well…The defeat in itself bothers me less than the manner in which we threw away the game. I’ve been warning the players week in, week out about over-confidence, but that was what cost us the game, playing as though we were always going to win because we played better football. In the dressing-room after the game I had a strong urge to have a go at some of the players –starting with Sacha [Filimonov], who’s had a dreadful month and is developing a bit of an attitude problem…

Instead I said very little, emphasizing only the fact that we’d lost that game, rather than our opponents winning it. And from the look on most players’ faces, it was clear they had already arrived at the same conclusion. So after a couple of minutes of comments delivered in a neutral tone, I exited the changing-room and left them to deal with their guilt. I headed for the parking lot, told the bus driver to warn Gabriel [Desmenez, assistant manager] I wouldn’t be making the trip back with them, and walked to the station.

When I met up with the lads for our usual ‘stretch-and-fun’ session on the day following the game, no-one mentioned my absence on the bus or asked why I’d left. Gabriel seemed a little uneasy at first, but once he’d ascertained I wasn’t in a foul mood he seemed to relax. And I may be wrong about this, but I could have sworn that the players pushed themselves harder than usual (or indeed, than needed; the last thing I want is for one or more of my first-team players to get injured)…

On a more positive note, we’ve reached the last sixteen of the French Cup, which has turned out to be a real shocker so far this year. Eight of the sixteen clubs left come from CFA or lower divisions, which is unprecedented. And in another fortunate twist of fate, we have been drawn to play one of them away, Joué-lès-Tours. I hope the fact that they are neighbours to the team that just ended our unbeaten run is not an ill omen, and I don’t intend to let the players form the impression that we’re going to walk all over them. Still, to reach the quarter-final would bring back some of the lustre the club has lost in recent years, and obviously everyone at the club is very excited at the prospect.

I saw Oncle Bébert twice this month, and the first was a total fiasco…A story for another day, as it’s time for some Lemsip (pretty cold here at the end of January, Côte d’Azur or not) and a nice big fat one of that White Widow I scored from Etienne, my friend at the Petit Rapporteur…

retired_bbcarr

still very much enjoying this, dave :thup: not getting boring in the slightest.

also, requesting your permission to use 'Dave Le Spliff' in a marseille-based story which is soon to be written and will be published when the world cup and autobiography stories have been finished [/blatant plug]